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Then there came, the clear thin call of a bugle, cutting brilliantly through
the exaultation. The revel jerked breathlessly alert.
The bugle, musical and bright, rang again, louder, a sound alien to the place.
And now, breasting over the crags like spume, charged a company of green-clad
men, moving with fanatic resolve.
"Valdaran!" cried the magician on the dais, and the green figure of
Ethodea wavered and disappeared.
Panic spread through the amphitheater. There were hoarse cries, a milling of
lethargic bodies, a cloud of rising shapes as the demons sought flight. A
few of the sorcerers stood boldly forth to chant spells of fire, dissolution,
and paralysis against the assault, but there was strong counter-magic, and the
invaders leapt unscathed into the amphitheater, vaulting the dais. Their
swords rose and fell, hacking, slashing, stabbing without mercy or restraint.
"The Green Legion of Valdaran the Just," whispered Etarr. "See, there he
stands!" He pointed to a brooding black-clad figure on the crest of the ridge,
watching all with a savage satisfaction.
Nor did the demons escape. As they flapped through the night, great birds
bestrode by men in green swooped down from the darkness. And these bore tubes
which sprayed fans of galling light, and the demons who came within range gave
terrible screams and toppled to earth, where they exploded in black dust.
A few sorcerers had escaped to the crags, to dodge and hide among the shadows.
T'sais and Etarr heard a scrabbling and panting below. Frantically clambering
up the rocks was she whom Etarr had come seeking Javanne, her red hair
streaming back from her clear young face. Etarr made a leap, caught her,
clamped her with strong arms.
"Come," he said to T'sais, and bearing down the struggling figure, he strode
off through the shadows.
At length as they passed down upon the moor, the tumult faded in the distance.
Etarr set the woman upon her feet, unclamped her mouth. She caught sight for
the first time of him who had seized her. The flame died from her face and
through the night a slight smile could be seen. And she combed her long red
hair with her fingers, arranging the locks over her shoulders, eyeing
Etarr the while. T'sais wandered close, and Javanne turned her a slow
appraising glance.
She laughed. "So, Etarr, you have been unfaithful to me; you have found a new
lover."
"She is no concern of yours," said Etarr.
"Send her away," said Javanne, "and I will love you again. Remember how you
first kissed me beneath the poplars, on the terrace of your villa?"
Etarr gave a short sharp laugh. 'There is a single thing I require of you, and
that is my face."
And Javanne mocked him. "Your face? What is amiss with the one you wear?
You are better suited to it; and in any event, your former face is lost."
"Lost? How so?"
"He who wore it was blasted this night by the Green Legion, may Kraan preserve
their living brains in acid!"
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Etarr turned his blue eyes off toward the crags.
"So now is your countenance dust, black dust," murmured Javanne. Etarr, in
blind rage, stepped forward and struck at the sweetly impudent face. But
Javanne took a quick step back.
"Careful, Etarr, lest I mischief you with magic. You may go limping, hopping
hence with a body to suit your face. And your beautiful dark-haired child
shall be play for demons."
Etarr recovered himself and stood back, eyes smouldering.
"I have magic as well, and even without I would smite you silent with my fist
ere you worded the first frame of your spell."
"Ha, that we shall see," cried Javanne, skipping away. "For I have a charm of
wonderful brevity." As Etarr lunged at her she spoke a charm. Etarr stopped in
mid-stride, his arms fell listless to his side, and he became a creature
without volition, all his will drained by the leaching magic.
But Javanne stood in precisely the same posture, and her gray eyes stared
dumbly forth. Only T'sais was free for T'sais wore Pandelume's rune which
reflected magic back against him who launched it.
She stood bewildered in the dark night, the two inanimate figures standing
like sleep-walkers before her. She ran to Etarr, tugged at his arm. He looked
at her with dull eyes.
"Etarr! What is wrong with you?" And Etarr, because his will was paralyzed,
forced to answer all questions and obey all orders, replied to her.
"The witch has spoken a spell which leaves me without volition. Therefore
I cannot move or speak without command."
"What shall I do. How can I save you?" inquired the distressed girl. And,
though Etarr was without volition, he retained his thought and passion. He
could give her what information she asked, and nothing more.
"You must order me to a course which will defeat the witch."
"But how will I know this course?"
"You will ask and I will tell you."
"Then would it not be better to order you to act as your brain directs?"
"Yes."
"Then do so; act under all circumstances as Etarr would act."
Thus in the dark of night the spell of Javanne the witch was circumvented and
nullified. Etarr was recovered and conducted himself according to his normal
promptings. He approached the immobile Javanne.
"Now do you fear me, witch?"
"Yes," said Javanne. "I fear you indeed."
"Is in truth the face you stole from me black dust?"
"Your face is in the black dust of an exploded demon."
The blue eyes looked steadily at her through the slits of the hood.
"How can I recover it?"
"It is mighty magic, a reaching into the past; and now your face is of the
past. Magic stronger than mine is required, magic stronger than the wizards of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]